September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, a time to honour Survivors of residential schools, remember the children who never returned home, and recognize the lasting impacts of the residential school system on First Nations, Inuit and Métis families and communities.

For those working to support children and adolescents impacted by abuse and violence, the message that Every Child Matters carries particular meaning.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action make clear that reconciliation is deeply connected to the wellbeing of Indigenous children and families. The Calls to Action related to child welfare emphasize reducing the number of Indigenous children in care, keeping families together where it is safe to do so, supporting culturally appropriate services, and ensuring that Indigenous communities have a meaningful role in the systems that affect their children.

These commitments are also relevant to the work of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres. Recent recommendations from the Office of the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime have called for equitable access to trauma-informed services across Canada, including investment in Indigenous-led, community-based victim services and improved access for rural, remote and northern communities. The Ombudsperson has also identified CYACs as an important model for providing coordinated, trauma-informed support to children and youth.

For CYACC and the broader CYAC community, reconciliation means continuing to listen and learn from Indigenous children, families, communities and partners, and considering how services can be more culturally safe, accessible and responsive to the communities they serve.

On September 30, we encourage members of the CYACC community to take time to reflect on the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and on our collective responsibility to advance reconciliation in the systems that support children and families.

Every Child Matters, today and every day.